My very first 5K!!

Oh my gosh! What a weekend!!! So sorry I didn't get this up sooner but my Sunday was filled with family shenanigans and then yesterday an fugly migraine took over my body. Bastard.

Anywho.....THE RACE!

Holy nerves. But it went soo well!

I arrived a little before Ryan and went and got my racing packet with a free T-shirt (woohoo!), a plastic mug (woohoo!), and a bunch of coupons.  Then I met up with Ryan and headed to the porta potties. Not that I had to go, I was meeting a running friend from Wichita, and even if I needed to go, which I kinda did, the line was like 25 people long.  And with only 15 minutes before the race....that ain't gonna happen.

Me all smiles and feel good emotions pre-race.
Those quickly faded.

I got in line at the start line and Ryan stood by me giving me words of encouragement like this: "Are you nervous?  You're dancing around like you are." 
Great.
Not only do I not know what the hell I'm doing at a FREAKING STARTING LINE, but now I look like a dancing idiot.
Perfect.

Now this is standing a little ways from the race starting line. So eventually I get the gumption to move my pooper onto the actually street.

And then I get even more nervous.

And then the announcer says, "One minute to start people."

ONE MINUTE. Ahhhh, Hell no. I can't do this. I'm going to die. I'm going to trip and shove my thumb up my nose.  I'm going to have to really pee about mile 1.wetmypants.  Why did I do this? WHAT IS WRONG WITH ME???

But the gun goes off anyway. And my legs start moving.  And I keep thinking, "Oh God, Oh God, don't trip, don't trip. What is that smell??? Oh Christ, did I really shit my pants?  Oh, thank you Jesus, it's the weirdo next to me. Ok, run faster, he's a stinker."

Seriously.

Dispite the stank.

About a 1/2 mile in I already know I'm going way too fast. And Fluffy and others gave me really good advice to keep your first mile slow. So I knocked it down a notch and continued on.

Then 1.5 miles there was the BEST garage sale.  Seriously??? Why don't I have the time and money to stop. Because, Oh I sooooo would.

Mile 2 I started to get a little tired, but again people gave me advice to just pick a person and pace yourself with them. So I picked this cute little blondy that had on a pink shirt and just paced myself with her. We were probably running it about a 10 minute per mile pace, so I thought that was fantastic.

Then she F*ing started walking.  Hussy.

So I picked a little older lady, about in her 60s, but she was rocking it. I kept up with her for the next mile or so just fine. But then she started speeding up. Christ.

I was then on my own. There was multiple times that I wanted to walk, but for some reason, I call it The Force, I didn't.  I just kept going. And going.  I was semi-tired around 2.5, my legs were starting to tell me to slow it down, but I kept on.  I slowed my pace, again, a little, and concentrated on getting to the finish line.  I tried to look at all the pretty old houses that lined the streets, but my thoughts were, "You can do this! You're running your first 5K!! Keep up the good work!"  And that really pulled me through.

The last 1/2 mile was through a park and there were tons of people just cheering us on and motivating us to keep going. I'm pretty sure I had this shit eating grin on my face the entire time. They probably thought it was a poop face.  It's fine.

The genius that designed the race made it so you had to run up a small hill to the finish line. Jerk. But I made it. I trudged and trudged, head down, pumping my feet until I reached the top, then it was smooth sailing!!

Only a few feet to the finish!!

Either way.

And I finish!!!! Woop Woop!! Take that bitches!!



And this race couldn't have been more appropriate for me.  They gave you free beer at the end.

I did give one to Ryan, just so you all know. I'm not a complete lush at 10 in the morning.

I ran it in 31:22. My fasted time yet! Yeah for a new PR!!!! I was so excited and thrilled I wanted to cry my eyes out.  But I didn't. Because I had beer to drink.

All in all, it was one of the best experiences of my life and I CAN NOT WAIT to do another one!